Railway-switch joint.



W. KAYLOR. RAILWAY SWITCH JOINT. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22. 1911.

1,026,515. v Patented'May 14, 1912.

2 SHBETSSHEET l.

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Patented May 14, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

WILLIAM KAYLOR, 0F MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO S. R.

. TAYLOR, 0F MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 22, 1911.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM KAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Muskogee, in the county of Muskogee and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switch Joints; and'I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in joints for railway switches.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved means for connecting the switch member of a railway track to the main track rail whereby a strong, durable and reliable joint will be provided.

Another object is to provide a joint of this character having means whereby the connected ends of the track rail and switch will be securely held in place and one end prevented from settling below the other and thus forming an uneven tread surface.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure l is a side view of the connected ends of a main-track rail and a switch tongue showing the construction of my improved joint; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view on the line 33 of Fig." 2; Fig. 4: is a similar view on the line 44: of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the track rail portion of the joint; Fig. 6 is an inverted perspective view of the switch portion of the joint; Fig, 7 is a perspective view of the base plate of the joint. Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the inner end of the switch tongue.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 1 denotes the track rail and 2 denotes the switch joint. In forming my improved joint the base and web of the rail and switch are increased in thickness for a short distance in from the inner ends of the same as shown. The outer edge of the enlarged or thickened portions of the rail and switch tongue extends up vertically or even with the outer edge of the base flanges for a.

short distance as shown at 3 and the upper surface of the thickened portions are inclined or beveled to the edges of the tread portion of said rail and switch as shown at 4.

The upper portion of the thickened end of the track rail 1 is cut away as shown at 5 forming the fiat base portion 6 of the joint. In the flat upper surface of the base portion 6 near the inner end thereof is formed a transversely disposed dovetail shaped notch 7 which opens from one side or edge of said base portion and extends across to near the opposite edge of the same. Near the outer end of the base portion 6 is formed a similar notch 8 which opens from the opposite edge of the base and extends nearly across the same as shown. In the center of the base and midway between the notches 7 and 8 is formed a circular bearing recess or socket 9 the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. The end 5 formed by the cut away portion of the rail, the end of the base portion and the notches 7 and 8 are all formed on arcs of circles the center of which is the center of the bearing recess or socket 9.

In the outer end of the base portion of the rail is formed a transverse, horizontally disposed groove 10 which extends from one side or edge of said base to near the opposite side as shown. In the opposite side edges of the base portion of the thickened part of the rail near the inner end of said part are formed longitudinal grooves 11. The purpose of the grooves 10 and 11 will be hereinafter described.

The thickened end of the switch tongue 2 has the lower portion of its base cut away as shown at 12 and on the lower surface of the remaining portion of said base is formed an outer clove-tailed shaped lug 18 and an inner similarly shaped lug 14L. Midway between the lugs 13 and 14 and in the center of the recessed end of the base is formed a pivot stud 15. The end 12 of the base formed by the cut away portion and the end of the switch as well as the lugs 13 and 14 are formed on arcs of'circles the center of which is the center of the pivot stud 15. On the cut away end 12 of the switch is formed a transverse tongue '16.

In assembling or connecting the switch member with the track rail the recessed end of the switch is placed crosswise of the recessed end of the track rail and the pivot stud 15 of the switch is engaged with the pivot hole 9 in the rail. The switch member is then turned or swung around in the proper direction for engaging the lugs 13 and 14: with the notches 7 and 8 and the tongue 16 with the groove 10 in which position the switch member will be in line with the rail and securely fastened thereto. WVhen thus engaged the switch member may be thrown in any suitable manner to open and close the switch.

The connected ends of the rail and switch are preferably supported on a base plate 17 which is of sufiicient length to reach between and engage two ties. The plate 17 has formed thereon near the rail end thereof upwardly projecting rail engaging flanges, 18. The flanges 18 are preferably cut and struck up from the plate and have their upper edges bent inwardly to form tongues 19 which are adapted to be engaged with the grooves 11 formed in the opposite sides of the base of the thickened portion of the rail near the inner end of said portion as shown. In the rail end of the plate 17 are formed spike holes 20 while in the tongue end are formed similar holes or notches 21 whereby the rails may be firmly spiked to the ties and will not only form an efiicient support for the connected ends of the rail and switch but will also hold these parts down in operative position on the ties.

In engaging the base plate 17 with the end of the rail, the flanges 18 and tongues 19 are sprung over the base flanges of the rail end 1 adjacent to the inner ends of the thickened portion thereof after which the plate 17 is drawn outwardly thus bringing the tongues 19 on the flanges 10 into engagement with the grooves 11 formed in the opposite sides of the thickened portion of the rail as hereinbefore described.

While I have described my improved joint for connecting a switch member with the end of a track rail, it is obvious that I may also employ the same as a rail joint for connecting the meeting ends of rail sections together.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a joint of the character described the combination with the end of a main track rail, said end being cut away on its upper side to form a flat base portion, said base portion having therein dove tail shaped notches which open from the opposite sides of the rail, and a centrally disposed pivot hole, of the end of a switch rail, said end having its lower side cut away whereby said cut away ends of the switch and main track rail are adapted to form an overlapping engagement, dove tail shaped lugs formed on the lower side of the cut away end of the switch, said lugs being adapted to be swung into the grooves in the base formed by the cutaway portion of said end, a pivot stud formed on said end of the switch and adapted to engage thepivot hole in said base portion of the rail end whereby said end of the switch is pivotally connected to the end of the rail, and a base plate arranged beneath the connected ends of the switch and rail.

2. In a joint of the character described the combination with the end of a main track rail, said end being thickened on its sides and cut away to form a flat horizontal base, said base having in its upper side transversely disposed dove tail shaped notches, and a centrally disposed pivot hole and having in its sides longitudinal grooves and in its end a transverse groove, of the end of a switch member, said end being thickened and cut away on its under side to fit the recessed end of the rail, dove tail shaped lugs arranged on the under side of the cut away end of the rail and adapted to engage the dove tail shaped notches in the base of the rail end, a pivot stud also formed on the cut away end of the switch member and adapted to engage the pivot hole in said base whereby said switch memberis pivotally connected to the rail member and adapted to be swung thereon to open and close the same, a tongue formed on the end of the cut away portion of the switch and adapted toengage the groove in the end of the base of the rail, a base plate arranged beneath the joined ends of said rail and switch member and means whereby said base plate is secured to the thickened end of the rail.

3. In a joint of the character described the combination with the end of a main track rail, said end being thickened on its sides and cut away to form a flat horizontal base, said base having in its upper side transversely disposed dove tail shaped notches and a centrally disposed pivot hole having in its sides longitudinal grooves and in its end a transverse groove, of the end of a switch member, said end being thickened and cut away on its under side to fit the recessed end of the rail, dove tail shaped lugs arranged on the under side of the cut away end of the rail and adapted to engage the dove tail shaped notches in the base of the rail end, a pivot stud also formed on the cut away end of the switch member and adapted to engage the pivot hole in said base whereby said switch member is pivotally connected to the rail edges of said flanges and adapted to engage member and adapted to be swung thereon to the grooves in the side of the thickened base open and close the same, a tongue formed portion of the rail.

on the end of the cut away portion of the In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 15 switch and adapted to engage the groove in my hand in presence of two subscribing the end of the base of the rail, a base plate witnesses.

arran ed beneath the joined ends of said 7 T rail arid switch member, said base plate hav- VILLIAM BAX ing formed therein spike receiving holes and Witnesses: V

notches, rail engaging flanges formed on S. R. TAYLOR,

said plate and ribs formed on the upper JOHN WATKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

